“Oh, we’re ready for it. I mean, yeah, it would’ve been nice to have a home game here or both home games and get a Bye. But, it is what it is. I mean, this team’s been through a lot this year. Now we’ve got to do it the hard way and we’ll embrace the shit out doing it the hard way and look forward to it.”
Yes, the Seahawks went for it. Yes, the 49ers stopped them. Sam Darnold tried to connect with veteran wide receiver and former triple crown winner Cooper Kupp, matched up with rookie nickel back Upton Stout, on a short out route. The pass fell wide of Kupp with Stout in tight coverage. Turnover on downs. It was one of several timely plays Stout made in perhaps his best game of the season.
A later third-and-long screen pass also tested Stout, who again passed. He shed his blocker to make a textbook tackle. Seattle, already in field-goal range, was forced to settle for three points. Then settled for none. Jason Myers missed wide right from 47 yards, a rare lapse for a kicker who had been almost automatic (30-for-32) inside of 50 yards this season.
While the 49ers trailed 10-3 in the opening stages of the fourth quarter, a Darnold dump-off on 3rd-and-7 was stopped after a gain of one yard by who else but Stout, with impressive closing speed.
The 49ers even picked up a couple of sacks, in the first half alone, to help keep the score close. For once, it was their offense that lagged behind.“
McCaffrey had averaged 25.7 touches during the three-game offensive explosion that preceded kickoff.
“Our offense kind of takes a different identity each week,” center Jake Brendel said. “Yeah, I feel like we were a little bit different this week than the previous couple weeks, and we just have to kind of get back to our bread and butter.”
“I mean, you, you saw the game: We couldn’t get the wide-zone (runs) going,” Brendel said. “It’s not like our main goal tonight was the wide zone. But I feel like that kind of opens up defenses in the past.”